Depression... physical symptoms? *poss. Trig*

[RenTheActress]

I've struggled with emotional problems since I was about 13 (I'm now 20) I used to deal with stress through SI (i've gotten much better now) but when I first started to quit, I got sick ALL THE TIME. I think it was because I stopped releasing stress and keeping it in just weakened my immune system.

Well, the past few years I've had all sorts of strange pain and fatigue... joint pain, muscle pain, nerve pain, tiredness, exhaustion...

I've been diagnosed with everything from Lupus to Multiple Sclerosis to Fibro Myalgia to simply being told I'm not getting enough sleep.

The thing is, there's been nothing to *prove* any of these theories... and I still feel awful most of the time.

I never really got help for my depression when I was younger and I never really grew out of it... more that I just learned to cope better... but I'm starting to wonder if maybe all of my physical ailments are just another manifestation or my mental and emotional illness?

Or if it's being in physical pain that has brought some of my depression back?

Does anyone else have any experience with this?
Have you suffered physical pain from depression?
Are you living with depression and a chronic illness?

any input at all would be appreciated.

<3 Ren

[Piglet]

I can understand where you're coming from. I quite often suffer with tirdness and fatigue and aching muscles when i'm feeling particularly low.
A nurse told me once that when you're feeling emotionally drained you are more susceptable to physical illness because your body doesn't have as much energy to fight it. Maybe you could ask your doctor about that ?

Feel free to pm me if you need anything x

[musicmad123]

Yeah I suffer quite badly physically when doctors can't find anything wrong apart from the psych stuff, I get fatigue, pain, nausea i feel your pain :) x

[SheHasHope]

Come to think of it...whenever I don't self injure for a while or I'm depressed, I'm always tired and feel really low on energy.

[musicmad123]

Oh yeah chest pains! This is what they don't tell you about mental illness.. it's not just mental !!